On Great British Railways…

IT seems that the Government’s plans for the future of Britain’s railways have fallen at the first hurdle. We were led to believe that reforms would put the passenger first. We now find that one of the first fruits is a group set up with representatives from across industry – Network Rail, TOCs and trades unions (July issue, page 7) – all of which have vested interests, but none of which represents passengers (or indeed freight operators). It seems their remit is solely to consider cuts of about £2bn in a “future with fewer passengers”. So now we have it, for the passenger fares increased above inflation, and at the same time cuts in services, a plan for failure if ever there was one. What they should be doing is trying to build a route map back to previous levels of passenger usage and to the previous trajectory of increasing usage. This should include supporting Government policies of modal shift to public transport as part of zero carbon objectives and encouraging active travel, in which rail will play a key part.

Savings are there to be made of course, by removing the inefficiencies recognised in the current franchised system, however there is no chance that a group with that make up and that remit will deliver them.

Richard Long Marnhull, Dorset

THE first thing that the Great British Railways board needs to do is to make it a legal requirement that single fares are half of the relevant return fare and not 90% or more as they are at present. On a short journey the difference between a single and return can be as little as five pence.

Alex Owen Coventry IN your excellent article on page 8 of the July RM, you explain the function of the GBR. In it you state that Scotrail and TfW will not come under the GBR plan. With three of the four nations that make up the kingdom not included, where is the justification in calling it Great British Railways, when it only applies to England? Leon Corrall, By email